


What a Mighty Good Man

by BergaraHoe (flannelfeelings)



Category: Brooklyn Nine-Nine (TV)
Genre: Angst, Babies, Canon Compliant, Domestic, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Established Relationship, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Gender Roles, Happy Ending, Insecure Jake, Insecure about masculinity, Insecurity, Jake Peralta/Amy Santiago - Freeform, Jake is the sweetest baby, Perlatiago, Pregnancy, Pregnant Amy Santiago, Protective Amy Santiago, Self Esteem Issues, Spoilers for S7, Sweet Amy Santiago, Sweet jake peralta, Victor Santiago being kind of a cock, Weight Gain, Weight Issues, What does it mean to be a man, amy santiago - Freeform, gender discussions, jake peralta - Freeform, married, set in s7, sympathy weight
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-01
Updated: 2020-05-01
Packaged: 2021-03-01 20:33:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,586
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23953108
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/flannelfeelings/pseuds/BergaraHoe
Summary: When Jake Peralta realizes he's gained a bit of sympathy weight along with his pregnant wife, it uncovers some deeply personal insecurities he otherwise tries to keep quiet.Luckily, Amy Santiago is on the case.
Relationships: Jake Peralta/Amy Santiago
Comments: 16
Kudos: 162





	What a Mighty Good Man

**Author's Note:**

> i always think about the fact that jake peralta is the opposite of the alpha male stereotype, and how in the beginning of the show he was more of a typical male attitude but slowly developed into the sweetheart he is now.   
> well, maybe he gets glimpses of insecurity (especially when other men comment or notice) and wonders if his masculinity is legit? especially with the pregnancy and softness that surrounds having a baby. maybe he needs to be reminded that being a "man" isn't about being tough and strong and aggressive. 
> 
> pls enjoy and lmk ur thoughts

_“Shit!”_

Amy stops in her tracks with a frown at the voice coming from the bedroom. Normally, she wouldn’t have batted an eye at this cry of annoyance, as it was often uttered from her husband when something went wrong. However, the small hitch in the voice alerted her attention, and concern.

“Jake?” She called, switching her beeline from the direction of the bathroom to the bedroom she shared with her husband.

Amy poked her head in, the scene before her only serving to further confuse her. Jake was standing in the middle of the room, at the foot of the bed, struggling with the button on a pair of jeans. There were two other pairs discarded on the floor beside him.

“Jake?” she asked again, causing him to jump guiltily and look up at her with surprised eyes. He folded his lower lip between his teeth nervously, but said nothing.

“Everything alright?” she asked, somewhat amused despite her concern. Jake’s large brown eyes combed over her for a second, seeming to assess the situation. She could practically see the gears turning in his head as he debated the pros vs cons of admitting what was going on. He apparently settled on the truth.

“My pants don’t fit.” He simply replied.

“I can see that.” Amy chuckled, stepping into the room fully, one hand on her lower back to counteract the heavy weight of her pregnant middle.

Jake shook his head in disbelief, “I’ve worn a 32 since I was in my twenties. This isn’t possible.”

Amy took a moment to look her husband up and down. He’d always had a fairly average body, lean build with a neat amount of small muscle beneath the skin. Though, as she looked him over now, she noticed a bit more of a pudge around his middle that she hadn’t really seen before. His thighs were a bit thicker too, it appeared. Not much, but apparently enough to necessitate new pants.

“So we’ll buy some 34s?” she suggested.

He looked at her with shock, “No.”

Amy pursed her lips, brows pulling down, “So...your pants don’t fit. But you _don’t_ want new pants?” She chuckled slightly, “Are we sure _I’m_ the one with pregnancy brain?”

“Amy.” Jake said simply, and her expression grew serious as she realized he seemed to be genuinely upset. He continued, “I don’t- I don’t understand how this happened.”

He was moving now, still only clad in a t-shirt and his boxers. She followed him into their bathroom where he stepped on the scale beside the shower. Amy was shocked; he never cared to weigh himself, and she really only did it now to make sure she was hitting her pregnancy milestones on schedule. She’d just passed 24 weeks and was right on track.

But Jake? His weight stayed pretty stagnant. He lived on a lifestyle of eating whatever he wanted and working it off as a detective, which had seemed to work for him. Amy and he would also often take long walks or she’d drag him to the gym with her after their shifts were over.

Lately though as she grew more tired in her pregnancy, they’d spend free time staying in and watching movies with countless snacks. And he had been working from his desk more since they found out; he was worried about being too far from her in case something went wrong. He’d passed up being primary on a couple of “dope” (his words) cases in favor of staying at the precinct to help with research. Amy had also been craving that European place almost three times a week, so they’d been eating more perogies than anyone on Earth ever had. It was probably starting to catch up with them, though less noticeable on her due to the pregnancy.

“180.” Jake’s voice broke her out of her thoughts as she glanced over to see him step off the scale, then back on again as if he didn’t believe the number in front of him.

“I gained ten pounds?” He was dumbfounded.

“Jake, it’s just sympathy weight.” She explained with a shrug, “Lots of men gain a few pounds when their wives are pregnant. Don’t you remember? It was in chapter eleven of “ _Cry Hard; With a Vengeance.”_ She hoped referencing the beloved Bruce Willis parenting book he’d read would help calm his upset, but it didn’t seem to soothe him at all.

“I know, I know we read about it.” He said quietly, “But I didn’t think _I’d_ …” his voice trailed off, and his brows creased into an even deeper frown.

“Why are you worried about your weight all of a sudden?” Amy asked, “It’s not like I’m a svelte model over here.” Amy gestured to her swollen stomach.

“You’re carrying a baby.” Jake walked past her back into the bedroom, “You’re supposed to gain weight.”

“Jake.” Amy said softly, concern evident in her voice, “You’re not feeling insecure are you?”

“Ugh.” He grimaced, “No. That’s dumb.” He began rifling through their drawers with frustration, shoulders tense.

“What are you looking for?” she asked softly.

“Sweatpants.”

Amy wasn’t sure what to do. This was new territory in their marriage; Jake seldom admitted to insecurity. And when he did, it was usually about his height or his nose. Those were the only two physical attributes he seemed to have an issue with (though Amy knew that both were perfect, and he was insane for disliking anything about himself.) But this? She didn’t know how to comfort him. Weight had never been an issue, she was surprised at how sensitive he seemed to be to it.

“Jake,” She said carefully, watching him pull on a pair of grey sweats with disdain, “Should we...talk about this?”

He shook his head, “Nope. Going for a run.”

“What?” she demanded as he walked over to the closet and grabbed a pair of sneakers, “But it’s our day off. We were supposed to pick out the nursery colors. And you _hate_ running.”

“Obviously.” he muttered.

“Jake!”

“Can we look at the colors when I get back?” He asked as he laced the sneakers up, not meeting her eyes.

“Fine.” Amy replied. She peeled her blouse off and shimmied out of her jeans, moving to their shared dresser and removing yoga pants and a dry-fit T-shirt.

“Uh, what are you doing?” he demanded, stopping his hurried movements to watch her dress quickly.

“Going for a run with you.” She said, grabbing her own sneakers and lowering herself with some difficulty to the floor.

“Amy, you’re six months pregnant.” Jake squatted down beside her with a frown, “You’re supposed to be doing _light_ exercise, if that.”

Amy ignored him as she struggled to reach her laces over her belly, focusing intently. Jake on instinct reached over to help her, but she snapped at him.

“Nope! I can do it.” though she wasn’t completely sure.

“Why are you doing this?” He insisted, watching her attempt to reach her feet with pitiful eyes.

“Because it’s my day off and I want to spend time with my husband, even though he’s being insane over a few pounds, and I can’t seem to figure out why.” she replied.

“I’m not going _insane_ -”

“Jake, you’re voluntarily going for a run! I’m pretty sure I thought we’d be living on the moon before I thought that would happen.” Amy still couldn’t comfortably reach her shoes to tie the laces, and her frustration was mounting.

The man sighed heavily, leaning forward as his fingers quickly did up the laces on the sneaker she was trying to reach. She let out her breath and allowed him, knowing they’d never leave on this run if he didn’t do it for her. He tied the other shoe, and without looking up at her, spoke softly.

“I’m ashamed.” He said quietly.

“What?” Amy couldn’t believe her ears, “You’re ashamed of gaining a few pounds, Jake?”

He grimaced, “I didn’t tell you this, because I knew it would only make you mad, but…”his fingers stilled on her laces, before he finally said, “Your dad called me, after we first announced we were pregnant.”

Amy frowned, “Why...would that make me mad?”

Jake’s fingers were laid out flat over Amy’s sneakers now, toying with the laces as he looked at anything but his wife’s face, “He...warned me that I’d better be a good dad. I better take care of you and our baby like...a _real_ man.” Jake shuddered, “He just...the way he said it felt like he didn’t think I _was_ a man. And I _know_ it’s stupid, but when my pants didn’t fit today I just felt like a bum who sits on the couch all day and lets his wife handle everything. I mean, you handle our budget, you organize all the grocery shopping, you keep track of _everything. You_ take care of _me_. Plsu you have a way harder job than me. And I remembered how excited I got picking out onesies the other day... I felt like a sissy.”

Amy cringed at his word choice, but before she could reply, he kept talking.

“I _know_ that I’m not less of a man for being so involved in the baby stuff. Logically...I know that.” He ran a hand over his forehead, “I’m trying to be a good dad. I’m trying _so_ hard. It just feels like no matter what I do, I’m screwing it up. You’re doing _so_ much, you're making a _baby_ for us, and I can’t have the willpower to not get fat? Am I not man enough to be a good role model for our son? I can’t even keep control of my own body.” His words curled up in disgust at the end, and it made Amy’s heart clench.

“First of all, Jake, you’re not fat.” She said sternly, “And secondly, I’m disappointed.”

He glanced up, hurt glinting in his eyes as he nodded, “I know-”

“I’m disappointed that you’d let my asshole dad make you feel bad about _anything_. I don’t take care of you, Jake. We take care of _eachother_.” She smiled, scooching her butt so they were sitting closer together, “Yeah, I handle the budget, I’m better with numbers. But you cook for us since I can’t. You wake up every morning and hold my hair back when this baby makes me barf up food I used to love. You bring me coffee in bed when I’m exhausted, or tea, lately. You wake up at 4am and get me eggrolls from the 24 hour Chinese takeout because I’m craving it.”

Amy reached a hand out and squeezed Jake’s fingers in hers, “A _real_ man knows that it’s okay to share the burden with his wife. We’re partners in this life, Jake, and one of the things I love _most_ about you is that you’ve never been afraid to have a wife who’s your equal. Our son is going to grow up learning from you what it means to be a good _person,_ no matter the gender he identifies with. It means being kind and loving and doing the right thing. It’s not being ashamed to get excited about things like cute onesies, or letting your wife take the reins on the financials.” She leaned in and pressed a gentle kiss to his cheek, “And that gaining a little weight while being the most supportive husband to your very pregnant wife, is not the end of the world, and doesn’t make you any less of a man.”

He was nodding before she even finished talking, “You’re right, Ames. I _know_ you’re right. I just let him get in my head and then I got in my own head..” He grimaced, “I don’t _ever_ want our son to feel like this. Like being a man is more important than being okay with himself, or that a man is defined by strength or self-sacrifice.”

“We’re gonna teach him the right way.” Amy assured him, “And it’s okay that you’re still unlearning that stuff too. I just want you to know that you are the most amazing husband on the planet, I feel incredibly lucky that you’re so excited for this little guy.” Amy ran a hand lovingly over her stomach, smiling, “He’s already got the best dad in the world.”

Jake offered her a small, somewhat broken smile and she grabbed his hand, moving it to lay flat across her belly. A small nudge of their baby’s foot beat against his hand from inside, and his smile grew into a genuine beam.

“To us, you’re everything.” Amy said gently, “No pair of jeans could ever quantify your worth, Jake.”

Suddenly, she was being pulled forward. Jake wrapped his arms around her, hands tangling in her hair as their lips mashed together. Eagerly, Amy kissed back, running her own palms down his back, which sent chills up his spine as he pulled her in tighter. Her belly separated them, pressing against his and the warmth of their bodies cocooned around her, relaxing her shoulders.

“I love you so much.” He murmured against her lips, “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be sorry.” She shook her head, voice low as she pulled their faces inches apart, “I love you more than anything.”

“Let me change.” He told her, “and we’ll go look at paint colors.”

Amy grinned, “Okay.”

He hopped up to his feet, then held his hands out for her, knowing she’d be stuck on the floor forever if she didn’t have assistance. He pulled her up to a standing position, smiling.

“I know we just had a serious talk and all, but it’s hilarious that you can’t even tie your own shoes.” He teased.

Ah. _There_ was the Jake she knew.

“I can’t tie my shoes, you can’t button your pants, I guess we’re even.” she retorted with a smirk.

Jake’s brows rose challengingly, but a smile teased his lips, “ _Oh_?” he picked up her discarded jeans, stretching the elastic waist of the maternity-fit, “You’re cheating anyway!”

Amy laughed, snatching the jeans from him, and rubbing her belly in a dramatic fashion, “You’re hurting the baby’s feelings!”

“I’m sorry baby.” Jake rolled his eyes, but leaned in to press a gentle kiss on her belly.

Amy pushed his head off playfully, snorting, “You owe us perogies for insulting the maternity jeans.”

She could see a glint of hesitation in his eyes at the mention of more fattening food, but he recovered quickly and replied, “Anything Mama needs.”

She couldn’t help her excited grin, “Best Dad ever.”

Jake flushed a bit red as he quickly changed into a pair of joggers and threw on a different pair of sneakers. Amy too changed back into her outfit and threw her hair in a bun, ready to go pick colors for their baby’s nursery.

Jake slipped his hand into Amy’s as they walked toward the stairs in the hall of the complex, “By the way babe, you said that we’re equals but...that’s really not true.”

Amy turned to look at him inquisitively, ready to backhand him.

“You’re my superior, Sergeant.” He grinned.

“You’re damn right I am, Peralta!” Amy laughed as they descended the stairs together. Jake took extra care to help her down the narrow staircase, and his soft steps and help reassured her that he was gonna be alright.

If he needed it, she’d remind him everyday that he was nothing short of perfect. And their son would think so too.


End file.
